Machine for preparing bristles for brushes



Aug. 28, 1956 c. E. MAYNARD MACHINE FOR PREPARING BRISTLES FOR BRUSHESFiled July 27,1950

5 Sheets-Sheet l Q IIITXIII lill I I ll I l l l l l l.. l O 0 O 0 0 0 0D D D. 0 mv vm wm @o 0 9 Nl@ O- w@ w@ OO OO- @m v No. NQ LQ Q G o D o o0 0 0 o o, E F e P @Q NQ Q Q mm mwN @Q NQ AUQ mv DE@ Nv 0 ,O.. 0 www Unu m\ m INVENTOR CHARLES EDGAR MAYNARD Aug. 28, 1956 c. E. MAYNARD2,760,827

MACHINE FOR PREPARING BRISTLES FOR. BRUSHES Filed July 27, 1950 5Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3 aff l INVENTOR '6 5.8 'v5 f2, CHARLES EDGARMAYNARD ug- 28 1955 c. E.'MAYNARD 2,760,827

MACHINE FOR FREPARING BRISTLES FOR BRUSHES Filed July 27, 1950 5Sheets-Sheet 3 "1 66 65 :,128- INVENTOR E .24 CHARLES EDa/m MAYNARDATTQRNEYS Aug. 28, 1956 c. E. MAYNARD Y Filed July 27, 195o MACHINE FORPREPARING BRISTLES FOR BRUSHES 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG.8

INVENTOR CHARLES EDGAR MAYNARD Aug. 28, 1956 c. E. MAYNARD 2,760,827

MACHINE RoR RRERARING BRIsTLEs FOR4 BRUSHES Filed July 27,'1950 5Sheets-Sheet 5 36 lNvENToR CHARLES EDGAR MAYNARD BY 9L a@ ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent MACHINE FOR PREPARING BRISTLES FOR BRUSHES CharlesEdgar Maynard, Florence, Mass., assignor, by mesne assignments, toPro-phy-lac-tic Brush Company, Northampton, Mass., a corporation ofDelaware Application July 27, 1950, Serial No. 176,100

Claims. (Cl. 300-2) This invention relates generally to brush makingmachinery and in particular to a machine in which a series of relatedoperations are successively performed to ll clamps with rows ofthermoplastic filament bristle elements and to round one end of eachbristle element. The filled clamps hold the bristle elements in spacedrelation as sub-assemblies ready for insertion in a brush back tocomplete a brush.

One object of the invention is to provide a machine to carry out,automatically, the initial steps in the method of brush making disclosedin my pending application, Serial No. 96,518, filed June l, 1949, nowPatent No. 2,647,019, July 28, 1953.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved machine foruse in making brushes having spaced single artificial bristles ratherthan tufts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine with means tofeed strands or filaments of thermoplastic material into a clamp, suchas the type of clamp shown in my patent referred to above, sever thestrands to leave bristles of measured length and in spaced relation inthe clamp, and then remove that clamp and position an empty one in itsplace.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will becomeapparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, inwhich: a

Fig. l is a plan view of the new machine threaded with a plurality ofsingle strands or filaments of thermoplastic material;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view 0n line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of part of the structure shown inFig- 3;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view similar to Fig. 4 but with certain partsremoved;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the clamp filling portion of themachine;

Fig. 7 is a central vertical section of the clamp filling portion of themachine;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section of the portion of the machine shown inFigs. 5 and 6 taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 2 with the magazine removed forclarity;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective View of the machines strand severingknife and clamp removing means;

Fig. 10 is a perspective View of the lower end of the chute 86 shown inpart in Fig. 9;

Figs. l1, 12, 13, and 14 are views of the clamp holder illustrating howthe clamp is turned in the holder for rounding the protruding bristleends;

Fig. 15 is a diagrammatic view of the machines air pressure system; and

Fig. 16 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. l5.

In the practice of this invention there is provided a simple andeiciently operated machine particularly adapted for use in singlebristle brush making, but which may also be adapted for use in makingother types ofl brushes. The machine illustrated and described, incontinuous automatic operation, acts to insert a number offstrands ofthermoplastic material, such as nylon, into "ice a clamp for a measureddistance, to sever the strands and leave bristle elements of measuredlength in and partially protruding from the clamp, to remove the clampfrom its filling position and drop it onto a chute replacing an emptyclamp in the lling position, to discharge the filled clamp from thechute into a holder and move the clamp under grinding wheels to roundone end of each bristle element protruding from the clamp, turning theclamp in the holder to do so, and then to bui the ground rounded ends ofthe bristle elements so that they are ready for insertion in a brushback to make a single bristle (as distinguished from a tufted) brush.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 7 of the drawings, strands 10, of thermoplasticmaterial such as nylon, are drawn through grooved guide plates 11 bymultiple pairs of driven pressure or feed rolls consisting of a lowerroll 12 (Fig. 7) and an upper roll 13. Both rolls of a pair may havesurfaces of rubber or one surface may be steel and the other rubber.

Lower rolls 12 are fixed to a shaft 14 (Fig. 7), the ends of which arerotatably supported by lower side plates 15 and 16 of the machine (Figs.6 and 7). A gear 17 (Fig. 6) is mounted on one end of each shaft 14,outboard of plate 16, and a collar 18 is keyed or pinned to eac'h end ofthese shafts 14.

Between gears 17 and meshing with them to form a train, are pinions 19(Figs. 6 and 8) which are mounted on stub shafts 20 rotatably supportedby lower side plate 16. Both lower side plates 15 and 16 are fixed to abase plate 21.

Two upright channel supports 22 (Figs. 3 and 7) are also fixed to thebase plate 21. A cross plate 23 bridges the upper ends ofiuprightchannel supports 22, held to these ends by angle brackets 24 which arefastened to both the channels 22 and the cross plate 23. (See also Fig.1.)

Mounted on cross plate 23 is an air cylinder 25, the piston rod 26 ofwhich extends through a central opening 27 in the cross plate 23. (Figs.3 and 7.)

The lower end of piston rod 26 is turned down and threaded andadjustably fastened to it by nut 28 is a cross bar 29 (Fig. 3). Thecross bar 29 is attached at each end to side bars 30 and 31 (Figs. 3, 6and 7 which in turn are fixed to upper side plates 32 and 33respectively.

Both upper side plates 32 and 33 are provided with slot openings 34(Figs. 6 and 8) and ways 35 in which slidably fit upper roll adjustingplates 36 (Figs. 2 and 7 These plates 36 have a central opening throughthem to rotatably support the ends of axles 37 fixed to upper rolls 13.Extending through side bars 30 and 31 are threaded roll adjusting platescrews 38 (Fig. 7). One end of each screw 38 is pinned, as indicated at38', to a roll adjusting plate 36 and an adjusting nut 39 on the otherend is held against side bars 30 or 31 by the weight of the rolls 13 androll adjusting plates 36. Turning adjusting nut 39 raises or lowersupper pressure rolls 13 providing means to adjust the pressure of therolls 12 and 13 on the strands 10.

On the end of each axle 37, outboard of upper side plate 33 (Fig. 6), iskeyed or pinned a gear 40 which will normally mesh with itscorresponding underlying gear 17 until air pressure is admitted to aircylinder 25 to raise upper side plates 32 and 33 and the attachedstructurel A cross space bar 41 (Figs. 1, 6 and 7) is attached to andextends across the rear edges of upper side plates 32 and 33 and acrosstheir front ends is attached a cross spacer bar 42. These cross spacerbars 41 and 42, together with cross bar 29 hold the upper side plates inthe same spaced relation as lower side plates 15 and 16.

To keep the upper and lower side plates in alignment when the upper sideplates are raised, four guide posts 43 are provided. The lower end ofguide posts 43 are fixed to guide post carrier blocks 44 which are inturn fixed to lower side plates 15 and 16. Fastened to upper s ide',plates 32 zand 33 `are `blocks 45 (Figs. 3, 6 and 7) having openingstherethrough tted with lbushings 46 to receive .guide posts 43. Bushings46 slide freely on guide posts 43 and provide means for constantalignment of lower side plates 15 and 16 .and upper kside plates 32 and33 when the-latter plates a-re raised or lowered.

Attached to the upper inside edges of the lower side plates 15 and 16are support bars 47 (Fiss. 5 and 7) to which :are secured .spacer bars48 and the grooved guide `plates 11 which receive the strands 10. Theguide plates 11 (Fig. 7) consistnof an upper and lower plate with aplurality of matching grooves which respectively encase a .strand whenthe plates are tit-ted together and secured zby :bolts .49 (Fig. 5)through the plates 11, spacer bars 4.3 `and to :the support :"Dars 47.

When the guide plates 11 are threaded with strands and upper side plates32 and 33 are in the normal lowered position shown in Figs. 6 and 7, thesurfaces of pressure rolls 12 and 13 (Fig. 7) engage the strands 1l)stretching between .the guide plates 11 and the .teeth of the uppergears 4i) are in mesh with those of the lower gears 17. The 'lower gears17 are joined together by pinions 19 (Fig. 6) to form a train of gearswhich when driven through one of the pinions 19 causes shafts 14 and 37to rotate the pressure rolls 12 and 13 and move the strands 11i throughthe guide plates 11.

The drive pinionv19 is driven by an air cylinder 50 attached to one ofthe upright channels 22. Pinion 19 is driven through a ratchet oroverrunning clutch 51 (Figs. 6 and 8) fixed to it and connected topiston rod 52 of air cylinder 50 by connecting links 53 and a ratchet orclutch arm 54. A screw block 55 (Fig. 6) with screw 56 provides anadjustable stop to limit the down stroke of the piston rod 52 and thetravel of the strands 1t) through the plates 11. By the constructiondescribed, each strand 10 makes a straight line running tit through themachine.

To shear off the strands 1t) after the length measured by the pistonstroke vadjusting screw 56 has been moved through the frontmost plate 11by the rolls 12 and 13, there is provided a knife back plate 57 (Fig.7), a front knife guide plate 58 and a knife 59.

Both back plate 57 and knife guide plate 58 are fastened to the frontguide post carrier blocks 44 (Figs. 4 and 7) which are attached to thefront edges of lower side plates and 16 and knife 59 reciprocates in anopening 6@ (Figs. 7 and 9) between the plates 57 and 58.

Back plate S7 is provided with an opening 61 (Fig. 7) to receive theforward end of the foremost strand guide plate 11 and front knife guideplate 58 has a series of holes 62 (Fig. 9) through which the strands 10may pass.

Knife 59 is shaped as shown in Fig. 7 and in dotted outline in Fig. 4with a blade portion 63 and two legs 64 to which legs are attachedspring buttons 65. Springs 66, positioned between base plate 21 andspring buttons 65, normally hold the knife in raised position.

A piston rod 67 of an air cylinder 68 bears against the upper part ofknife 59 to move the knife downward in its shearing stroke and compresssprings 66 which return the knife to raised position when air pressureis released from piston rod 67.

Air .cylinder 68 is attached to a bracket 69 (Fig. 3) fixed to crossspace bar 42 extending across the front edges of upper side plates 32and 33. Bracket .69 has slots 70 to permit vertical adjustment of theair cylinder 68 and knife 59.

Fixed to the front edge of knife guide plate 58 is a clamp support block71 (Fig. 7), and above the `clamp support 71 is a clamp holding magazine72 (Fig. 7). A bracket 73, attached ,to cross space bar 42, holds themagazine above `clamp support 71 .only ,slightly more than the .heightof a `single clamp 74.

To hold a clamp 74 on the clamp support block 71 and to remove it fromthe block and allow another clamp to drop onto the block from magazine72, two movable fingers 75 are provided.

Fingers 75 slide on clamp support block 71 and pass through holes 76(Fig. 9) in the front knife guide plate 5S and back plate 57, knife 59being slotted at 77 (Fig. 4) to permit this. One end of each finger 75always remains in its knife plate hole 76 for guiding purposes. Nearthese ends of fingers 75 are recesses 78 (Fig. 9) into which the ends ofa clamp 74 (Fig. 7) loosely fit so that when the recesses 78 arepositioned beneath the magazine 72, a clamp 74 can drop flat from themagazine and rest on clamp support block 71, in position to receive theends of the Inylon strands as lthey issue through openings 62.

The outer ends of fingers 75 are attached to a slide plate "7? throughspacer .blocks 89. The edges of slide plate 79 slide .in ways 31 (Fig.8) of upright plates 82 fixed to 4base plate l21 (Fig. 7). Slide plate79 is attached yto piston rod 83 of an air cylinder 34 so that when airis admitted to the cylinder through opening SS to extend piston rod 33by pressure on the piston, slide plate 79 retracts fingers 75 andrecesses 78 in fingers 75 drag a filled clamp 74 from the flat surfaceof clamp support block 71 to a beveled portion of the upper surface ofblock 71.

The clamp '7-4 then falls from the recesses 78 in the fingers 75 andslides down the beveled portion of block 71 to drop onto a sharplyinclined chute 86. (See also Fig. 9.)

A spring 86 (Fig. 7) within the cylinder S4 returns the piston rod 83 toits retracted position when the air pressure is removed. This permitsthe recesses 7S of fingers 75 to again register with the magazine 72 sothat another clamp 74 may drop from the magazine onto the flat `surface.of clamp support block 71.

The upper edge of chute .S6 is fixed to clamp support block 71 and thelower end of the chute overhangs a chain conveyor 87 (Fig. l).

Conveyor 87 consists of sprockets 3E mounted on a shaft S9 driven .by amotor not shown, and sprockets 88 mounted on a shaft 90 with two spacedchains 91 around .the two sets of sprockets.

Fixed .to the chains 91 of conveyor 87 are cross bars 1% (Fig. ll) towhich are attached clamp holders 167 having sloping portions 168 and1519.

The lower end of chute 86 (Fig. 3) overhanging the conveyor' S7 isparallel with the conveyor but is high enough above it so that a clamp74 may be discharged from the chute 36 into a clamp holder iff! bydischarging means now to be described.

Chute 36 (Figs. 3 and l0) has a dumping gate 111i at its lower end and asloping ramp portion 111 adjacent the gate. The gate 11@ is pivotablyheld .to the chute by pins 112 (Fig. l0) and has a dump lever pin 113around which fits the fork of a dumping lever 114.

Dumping lever 114 pivots on pin 115 fixed to stationary support 116 anda spring 117, between and connected to lever 114 and support 116, keepsthe gate 11() normally closed as shown in Fig. l0.

Attached to the forward edge of each clamp holder 197 is a dumping levertripping bar 113 (Figs. 2 and ll). As each clamp holder passes under thechute 86, the bar 118 on a clamp holder 107 engages the end of thevertical hanging portion of dumping lever 114 opening the gate 114) sothat a clamp '74 may slide into a clamp holder and rest in the positionshown in Fig. 14.

Bar 118 and the hanging portion of dumping lever 114 are so positionedthat when a clamp holder is carried on from underneath the gate 110, thebar 118 rides past lever 114 and spring 117 closes the gate.

A .clamp 74 discharged from the `chute gate 110 rests against the rear`sloping portion 168 of a clamp holder 107 (Fig. 14) so that the edgesof the sheared end of the strands 10, protruding from the clamp 74 andmoved forward rankwise, may be ground by the first rapidly rotatinggrinding roll 92, the ends of the strand engaging the grooves in roll 92and the short length of exposed strand being bent from side toside,slipping from one groove to another to round the ends.

Clamp holders 107 are provided with a clamp flipping bar 119 (Figs. 12and 13) pivotably pinned to a supporting member 121 (Fig. l1) fixed tothe rear edge of each clamp holder 187. A flat spring 122 (Figs. 12 and13) attached to the member 121 keeps the flipping bar 119 normallyaligned with the clamp holder 107 as shown in Fig. l2.

To initiate and synchronize the operations of the machine, three cams1.24, 125 and 126 (Figs. Sand 15) are mounted on shaft 90 of theconveyor belt 87. Above cams 124, 125 and 126 suspended from base plate21 by a bracket 127 (Fig. 6), are respectively air valves 128, 129 and130 (Fig. 15), each having an inlet port 131 (Figs. and 16), an outletport 132, an exhaust port 133, a spring 1341 and a port opening andclosing plunger 13S projecting from the valve casing. Each inlet port isconnected with an air pressure supply line 136 from a compressor notshown.

Fixed to each plunger 135 are an exhaust port closing disc 137 and aninlet port closing disc 138, the former having an air passage opening139 through it, and the latter having air passage openings 140. Spring134 bears against the top of disc 137 and normally keeps the plunger 135positioned so the exhaust port 133 is open and inlet port 131 is closed.

When a plunger 135 is pushed upward by cam 124, 125 or 126, spring 134is compressed, disc 138 is raised open.- ing inlet port 131 and disc 137raised closing exhaust port 133 so that air from supply line 136 mayflow through inlet port 131, air passage openings 140 in'disc 138 andout outlet port 132.

When cams 124, 125 or 126 pass the plunger and cease to hold itdepressed, spring 134 moves. the plunger downward so that disc 138closes the inlet port 131 and shuts off air pressure from supply line136, and at the Sametime disc 137 moves past exhaust port 133 openingthe exhaust port and connecting it with outlet port 132 and with thevalve chambers through passage 139 in disc 137 and openings 140 in disc138.

Air valve 128 is positioned above cam 124 and its outlet port isconnected by a conduit 141 to air cylinder 59 which drives the strandmoving rolls 112 and 13 through ratchet or clutch 51 (Fig. 6) and thetrain of gears 17, 19 and 4G.

Air Valve 129 overliesy cam 125 and its outlet port is connected by aconduit 142 to the knife operating air cylinder 68.

Air valve 130 over cam 126 has its outlet port connected by a conduit143k to slide plate retracting air cylinder 84 whichy operates toremoveV a clamp 74 from supportv block 71.

Air cylinder 50 has a spring 144 encasedwithin it which normally holdsthe piston rod 52 in the retractedposition shown in Fig. 6 and retractspiston rod 52 to this position after air pressure ceases to be exertedon the piston 1125 of cylinder 59. The two air cylinders 68 and 84 areof similar internal construction.

Air cylinder 25 (Figs. 1, 7 and l5), which raises thel upper side plates32 and 33 and upper rolls 13, has a piston 146 (Fig. 15) attached to theinner end of piston rod 25 with a lower port 147 below the piston and aconduit 148 connected to a four-way valve 149.

An upper port 151i is provided above piston 146 in i cylinder 25 with aconduit 151 leading to valve 141-9. An exhaust line 152 and the airsupply line 136 are also connected with the four-way valve 149. Whenvalve 149 is turned so as to connect air supply line 136 and upper portconduit 151, lower port conduit 148 is connected 6, with exhaust line152, and when the valve 149' is turned to connect air supply line 136Awith lower port conduit 148, upper port conduit 151 is connected withexhaust line 152. A shut-off valve 153 may also be placed between valve1119 and the supply line 136.

To operate the machine, valve 153 is opened and valve 149 moved so as toconnect air supply line 136 with lower port conduit 148. Air cylinder25' then raises the upper side plates 32 and 33, upper rolls 13 and thestructure attached to the side plates 32 and 33. The grooved strandguide plates 11 are separated and the leading end portions of thestrands 1@ are laid in the grooves of plates 11. The plates 11 are thenbolted back together with bolts 49 (Figs. 5 and 7) and valve 149 movedto let piston rod 26 of air cylinder 25 lower upper side plates 32 and33 and upper rolls 13 to operative position so that rolls 12 and 13 arein contact with the strands 10 extending between guide plates 11. Themachine is now threaded Magazine 72 is filled with clamps 74, the bottomclamp resting on clamp support block 71 (Fig. 7) with its ends fittingin recesses 78 of fingers 75 so that the clamp is held firmly againstthe front knife guide plate 58 with the openings through the clamp inalignment with holes 62 through the front knife guide plate 58. Themachine is ready to operate.

The motor (not shown) to drive the grinding and bufhng rolls is startedand then the motor (not shown) to' drive the conveyor 87.

As shaft 96 is rotated by the chains 91 and sprockets 88, cam 124depresses plunger 134 (Fig. 15) of air valve 128 and opens its inletport permitting air pressure to reach air cylinder 50. The downwardstroke of piston rod 52 of air cylinder 50 revolves pressure rolls 12and 13 through the clutch or' ratchet 51 (Fig. 6) and the gear train 17,19 and 48; Thisy feeds a length of strands 10 through guide plates 11and holes 62 through front knife l guide plate 58 into the adjacentopenings of a clamp 74. The length of material fed vinto the clamp isdetermined by the stroke of piston rod 52, which may be adjusted' byraising or lowering the adjusting stop screw 56 (Fig 6)".

Further revolution of the shaft causes the raised portion of cam 124 topass the plunger 135 of air valve 12S (Fig. 15). The valve spring 134closes the valve. and the spring 144 in air cylinder 50 raises thepiston rod 52 for another operation.

Cam on shaft 90 then opens air valve 129 and permits air cylinder 68 tomove the knife 59 down and shear the strands 10 adjacent the inner edgeof the front knifev guide plate 58. This leaves a series of shortlengths 0f strands 10 in the clamp 74 which may be used as bristleelements in making single bristle brushes. These bristle elements are ofa length equal to the full width of the Clamp 74 plus the thickness ofplate 58', this latter length protruding from the front edge of a clamp74.

When the raised portion of cam 125 passes the plunger of air valve 129,the knife is raised by springs' 66 for' its next shearing operation.

Further revolution of shaft 90 then causes carri 126 to open air valveand let air pressure into air cyl'- inder 84. This retracts the slideplate 79 and attached fingers '75 dragging the filled clamp 74 from theat surface of clamp support block 71 to thek beveled portion of theblock where the filled clamp 74 falls through theV recesses 78 in thefingers 75 and slides down into chute 86 (Fig. 7).

The raised portion of cam 126 then passes the plunger of air valve 130allowing cylinder 84 to return the finger 75 to their normal positionwhere their recesses 78 underlie the magazine and another clamp 74 fallsonto the support block 71 and into the recesses 78.

The filled clamp 74 slides down chute 86 and when it reaches the bottomend of the chute, shaft 90 has rotated to a position where a clampholder 107 trips the chute gate 110 and the clamp slides into the clampholder with 7 the projecting portions of the bristle elements cut fromstrands 10 upright (Fig. 14).

As thus delivered to conveyor 87 the bristles are held in condition andadvantageously positioned for further finishing operations, for example,the shaping of the bristle ends by grinding rolls 92-93 and buflingrolls 94-95, suitably driven by conventional belts, pulleys and gearingas indicated at 96 to 105 inclusive. In the position delivered, theclamped bristles may be simply carried under the buing rolls by theconveyor, the clamps being tlipped from a rear sloping position to aforward sloping position by the engagement of clamp flipping bars 119with pins 123 (Figs. 13 and 14), and subsequently returned to a rearsloping position by engagement of the clamp by springs 120. The clampmay be taken from the end of the conveyor in any suitable manner.

As shaft 90 continues to revolve, these operations are repeated. Themagazine may be refilled with clamps While the machine operates and theonly need for stopping the machine is to rethread when the source ofsupply of strands 10 to the machine is exhausted.

Having fully disclosed my invention, I claim:

l. A machine for preparing bristles for insertion in brush backs whichcomprises means for intermittently projecting the free end portions of aplurality of strands of stiff bristle material in predetermined spacedrelation, a clamp support positioned to support a clamp in the path ofadvance of the strands and in position to receive the leading endportions of said strands upon actuation of said projecting means, meansintermediate said support and said strand projecting means to sever thestrands and leave a plurality of bristles of predetermined length withinthe clamp, and clamp feeding means to successively remove a clamp fromsaid support and position a second clamp thereon, and means to actuatesaid clamp feeding means immediately following the actuation of saidsevering means and immediately prior to the actuation of said strandprojecting means.

2. A machine for preparing bristles for brushes which comprises, meansfor advancing a plurality of strands of bristle material inpredetermined spaced relation, a clamp support and a retractable fingermechanism having a clamp engaging portion adapted to engage and positiona clamping member on the clamp support in the path of advance of thestrands to receive the leading end portions of the strands, a kniferearwardly of the clamp reciprocable to sever the clamped portions ofthe strands and leave a plurality of bristles of predetermined lengthand in predetermined arrangement within and partially protruding fromthe clamp, a movable clamp holder, means to retract said fingermechanism and remove a bristle lled clamp from the clamp support, andmeans to deposit a so removed clamp in said clamp holder with theprotruding ends of the bristles exposed, and means to advance said clampholder and bristle lled clamp.

3. In a machine for preparing bristles for brushes, guiding membershaving guides for spacing strands of bristle material in a predeterminedrel-ation, means for advancing strands through the guides, a clampsupport, `forward of the guides, positioned to support a clamping memberin lthe path of advance of the strands to receive the end portions ofthestrands as the latter are yadvanced through the foremost guides, astrand cutter between the foremost guides and the clamp support `tosever the clamped portion of the strands and leave a plurality ofbristles of predetermined length and in predetermined arrangement withinand partially protruding from the clamp, a clamp holding magazine havinga discharge 4opening over said clamp support, retractable fingersslidable between the magazine and clamp support, said fingers havingrecesses spaced from the ends thereof `and registering with the magazineopening to permit a clamp Ito drop from the magazine onto the clampsupport and into said recesse means to retract the ngers to move a lledclamp from the clamp support as the ends of the fingers block themagazine opening, a yseries of movable clamp holders, mean-s to receivea filled cl-amp from Athe finger recesses and deposit it in one of saidclamp holders with the protruding ends of the bristles exposed, means toreturn said fingers lto their inserted position and allow another clampto fall `from the magazine and lbe held in bristle filling position inthe linger recesses, and means to advance the clamp holder containingthe filled clamp.

4. ln a machine for preparing bristles for brushes, grooved guidingmembers for spacing strands `of bristle material, pressure feed rolls to`advance the strands through the guiding members, a support block spacedahead of the foremost guiding member and laligned therewith to positiona clamping member in the path of the strands to receive and clamp theleading ends of the strands, a strand cutter forward of the foremostguiding memlber and spaced from the clamp -a predetermined distance tosever the clamped portion of the strands and leave a plurality ofbristles in and partially protruding from the clamp, a clamp holdingmagazine with an opening overlying the support block, a retractablefinger mechanism slidable `between the magazine and said block havingclamp holding recesses spaced from the ends of the ngers thereof, saidsupport block having a flat clamp supporting surface and a beveled edgeforward of said dat surface, means to retract said finger mechanismyand. pull a lled clamp from the dat surface of the support block ytothe beveled edge, an inclined chute adjacent the beveled edge to receivea clamp falling therefrom, a series of clamp holders movable under thelower end of the chute, discharge means at the lower end of the chuteadapted to deposit a clamp in a clamp holder with the bristle endsprotruding from `the clamp exposed, and means to advance the holders andlled clamps.

5. In a machine `for preparing bristles for brushes, guide plates andfeed rollers for advancing strands of bristle material in spacedparallel relation, means to move the rollers intermittently and advancethe strands, a clamp support to position a clamping member in the pathof the -advancing strands to receive the leading end portions of thestrands, a strand cutter spaced rearwardly of the clamp support, andmeans Ito intermittently operate the cutter and sever the clampedportion of the strands to leave bristles in and protruding from a clamp.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,705,767 Izawa Mar. 19, 1929 1,714,547 Cleaves May 28, 1929 1,888,675Izawa Nov. 22, 1932 1,911,550 Cave May 30, 1933 2,227,126 Cooke Dec. 31,1940 2,303,800 Swann Dec. 1, 1942 2,317,401 Hall Apr. 27, 1943 2,406,707Over-'beke Aug. 27, 1946

